Got Grit?

5 surprising traits of resilient faith

Kelli B. Trujillo

Got Grit?

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Grit. It’s one of the buzzwords humming around in boardrooms, seminars, teacher break rooms, and across the blogosphere. Identified by psychologist Angela Lee Duckworth in her popular TED talk as the key to success, grit is a simple word that sums up so much about a person. Merriam Webster describes grit as “mental toughness . . . firmness of mind or spirit: unyielding courage in the face of hardship or danger.” It’s that determined part of the human spirit that just keeps fighting.

In this week’s issue of Today’s Christian Woman we’re exploring “fight”—not simply conflict but, instead, the choice to grittily fight on when faced with difficulty.

How can you live with grit?

1. Choose joy. This isn’t about just being happy and positive. When suffering knocks us off our feet, joy is the “in your face” response that triumphs over every circumstance. Margaret Feinberg has been forging her own battle to fight back with joy as she’s faced cancer. In “Joy: The Ultimate Trump Card,” Margaret offers encouragement as you, too, choose to rejoice even when it’s really, really hard.

2. Fight bitterness. When life hurts, it’s not just about what we choose to do—it’s also about what we determine not to do. Grit means crying out to God in our pain rather than building barriers of bitterness. Sara Hagerty has waged this battle in her own journey through years of infertility and heartache. Her article, “Barren and Bitter,” will help you combat bitterness as you face your own struggles.